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by Rachel Abeyta

SACRIFICE ZONE: noun a geographic area that has been impaired by environmental damage or economic disinvestment, most commonly found in low-income and minority communities

Mt. Taylor is an extinct volcano that is a sacred site for many Native American tribes.

New Mexico is famous for being the home of the world’s first atomic bomb, but it is also home to many people, animals, and natural wonders. Since the Manhattan Project, New Mexico has become a sacrifice zone for the nuclear industry. Not only are health risks not fully disclosed with New Mexico inhabitants, but accidents have destroyed livelihoods. I made this zine to spread awareness about the impact of nuclearism in the place I call home, the place my family has called home for many generations, the place I love with all of my heart. With its colorful rock formations, high desert landscapes, sunshine-filled days, summer rainstorms, and rich cultural history, it is so much more than a rural state. New Mexico has been home to a wide array of ecosystems for millions of years, and it is a place that deserves to be protected.